Countries

Egypt

A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition,
Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Egypt

Summary

When the United States became independent, Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire
and its foreign relations were conducted through the Sultan’s government at
Istanbul (Constantinople). In 1882, Great Britain
established a protectorate over Egypt, which imposed effective British control
over Egypt’s foreign affairs despite the fact that it continued to be nominally
part of the Ottoman Empire. Beginning with Daniel Smith McCauley on March 17,
1849, and until Egypt’s independence, the United States maintained a consular
and quasi-diplomatic presence in Cairo through an “Agent and Consul
General.”

Modern Flag of Egypt

Recognition

U.S. Recognition of Egyptian Independence, 1922.

The United States recognized Egypt’s independence on April 26, 1922, in a
letter from President Warren G. Harding to King
Ahmed Fuad, delivered by American Diplomatic Agent
and Consul General at Cairo, J. Morton
Howell. Egypt had been under British control as a protectorate.

Formation, Recognition, and Dissolution of the United Arab Republic, 1958-1961.

Egypt and Syria united to form a new state, the United Arab
Republic (UAR), on February 22, 1958. The United States
recognized the UAR on February 25, 1958, when U.S. Ambassador Raymond
Hare delivered a note to that effect to the UAR Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The UAR’s capital was established at
Cairo, where the United States maintained its
embassy, while the American Embassy in Damascus was
reclassified as a Consulate General. Syria seceded from the Union in 1961;
however, Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab
Republic" until 1971.

Diplomatic Relations

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in
Egypt, 1922.

Diplomatic relations were established on April 26, 1922, upon American
recognition of Egyptian independence. American Diplomatic Agent and
Consul General at Cairo, J. Morton Howell, had
conducted unofficial relations with Egypt as a “semi-independent state”
prior to this date, as had been U.S. practice since 1849. Upon
recognition, Howell served as the American diplomatic representative to
Egypt, and the position of Diplomatic Agent was raised to the rank of
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on June 24, 1922,
thereby establishing the American Legation in Egypt.

Diplomatic Relations Severed by the United Arab Republic, 1967.

The United Arab Republic severed diplomatic relations with the United
States on June 6, 1967, in the wake of the June 1967
Arab-Israeli War.

Establishment of U.S. Interest Section in Cairo, 1967.

A U.S. Interests Section was established in the Spanish Embassy in Cairo
on June 7, 1967.

Re-establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in
Egypt, 1974.

The Governments of Egypt and the United States agreed to resume
diplomatic relations on February 28, 1974, and the United States named
Ambassador-designate Hermann
F. Eilts in charge of the American Embassy in Cairo, which was
reopened on the same date.